renewing energy depleted by the lawyer life
I’m preparing to embark on an extended business-pleasure trip that will take me to Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Gettysburg; Pittsburgh; Cincinnati; Springfield; Chicago; Ann Arbor; and Cleveland. It will be a time for me to refresh and enjoy new sites and experiences. It will also afford me some space and opportunity to hone the latest addition to my Training + Development curriculum - the XE Factor.
My trip is just one in a series of steps I've taken in recent years to augment fulfillment and eliminate depletion in my professional and personal life. The concepts of fulfillment and depletion play out in real time via my energy states. Something's fulfilling to me when it literally fills me up with positive energy. Something's depleting when it leaves me drained, stressed, stifled or angry. The key has been learning to recognize my personal depletion zone and how I can move myself out of it.
It’s been a pretty big learning curve. I initially resisted acknowledging the depletion I experienced in – and beyond – the law. Even when all the signs evinced that I was running on empty, I pushed myself to work harder and do more for my clients and others. Once I became acquainted with the signs and symptoms of my depletion, I still had to do some trial and error to figure out how to reclaim my energy stores. Now, when I find myself energetically depleted at work, I know that there’s remedial power in an uplifting change of pace like a quick nature walk or bike ride; playing with my kids; watching a good ball game; or going on vacation.
I’ve previously noted the connection between taking time off and personal energy renewal. The topic is addressed from a slightly broader perspective in a CareerJounal.com article addressing how Sabbaticals Can Offer Dividends for Employers.
The piece focuses on company-sponsored sabbaticals that allow employees to work with nonprofit groups. The sponsoring businesses see sabbatical assignments (also called community engagement programs) as means of recruiting and retaining top talent. They’re also recognized as conduits for leadership building and for identifying “potential markets.” Acknowledging the revitalizing aspect of the programs, one sabbatical provider quoted for the piece states: “The goal is ‘to get employees re-energized and re-engaged, give them a broader sense of themselves, the company and the community.’”
If there’s a familiar ring to the sabbatical concept, it’s interesting to note that the article likens such programs to law firm pro bono initiatives. Both, it says, “appeal to strong performers who ‘seek more than a paycheck; they seek significance.’” Significance and renewed energy is a very potent combination.
